The Bears’ pursuit of Le’Veon Bell might have been over-stated, but it was sensible. Adding a game-changing running back like Bell would have been costly, but capitalizing on a unique opportunity during your window of contention is usually the right call.
On the other hand … the team’s rumored interest in Adrian Peterson didn’t make much sense – even if more reports have surfaced that the Bears were legitimately in on bringing in the aging former MVP.
But regardless of where you land on either pursuit, one thing has become pretty clear: the Bears are looking pretty closely at running backs this offseason. And it’s not limited to current pros or free agents. Just look at some of the names the team has been connected to recently via the draft rumor mill.
So the Bears have already scheduled visits/workouts with:
Devin Singletary
Miles Sanders
Ryquell Armstead
Trayveon Williams
Mike WeberThink they might be targeting a running back with the 87th pick?
— Ryan McCrystal (@Ryan_McCrystal) March 20, 2019
We have been tracking the likes of Miles Sanders, Mike Weber, Devin Singletary, and Trayveon Williams (2-for-1 reading) throughout the pre-draft process and throughout mock draft season. So reports of the Bears’ scheduled visits and workouts with these standout players really vibe with what the reality of the Bears’ situation is at this time.
With Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, and Mike Davis sitting atop the depth chart, the Bears have a three-headed monster than can be deployed in a versatile manner. Adding to that group in free agency doesnโt make much sense at this point, especially if their pursuit could cost the team a chance at a compensatory draft pick in 2020. The smart play here is to add to that group via the draft, which was always going to be the best fit.
Moving forward, itโs all about who gets selected and with what pick. With that in mind, weโll continue to keep an eye on rumored visits and potential targets.